About Summit Survey Research
Centering Communities. Building Better Outcomes.
At Summit Survey Research, we specialize in applied research that supports public good. Our work helps organizations ask better questions, hear from the communities they serve, and make informed decisions backed by credible data.
Our consultants hold decades of experience designing and implementing customized research projects for governments, nonprofits, healthcare organizations, and educational institutions. Our services span quantitative research, such as survey design, data collection, and statistical analysis, as well as qualitative studies, including in-depth interviews, focus groups, and stakeholder engagement. No matter the scope, we approach each project with a commitment to clarity, responsiveness, and impact.
Why Summit Survey Research?
Public Impact Experts
We specialize in research for public-serving organizations. We understand the regulatory, community, and funding requirements that shape your work, and we design every project to meet those unique demands.
Human-Centered Approach
We take a full-service, people-first approach to research. By designing the right questions and delivering digestible, meaningful insights, our work is grounded in understanding the communities you serve and the decisions your team needs to make.
Strategic Partner
We are more than a research vendor; we’re an extension of your team. We help clients secure funding, meet compliance goals, and drive measurable impact through research that’s credible, actionable, and aligned with mission-driven work.
Our firm was founded by Sara Strickhouser, Ph.D., a researcher with a background in academia and public-sector consulting. Sara created Summit Survey Research to bridge the gap between rigorous research methods and the real-world decisions organizations face every day. Now, she leads a team that ensures every project reflects the unique goals of the organization and the communities it supports. Summit Survey Research is proud to be a federally certified Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB) and a certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) through the State of Florida and the Florida Department of Transportation.
We are known for our ability to identify, engage with, and analyze data from hard-to-reach populations. In turn, this strategically drives the design of equitable sampling strategies, making complex findings accessible to a broad range of stakeholders. Clients choose to partner with us for our methodological expertise, and they grow with us because we’re clear communicators, strong collaborators, and dedicated to individualizing their unique needs.
When organizations listen intentionally by using high-quality data to inform their work, they become more responsive, more equitable, and more effective. That belief guides everything we do.
Meet Our Leadership
Sara Strickhouser, Ph.D.
Founder and Principal Researcher
Sara is a research strategist with over 15 years of experience in program evaluation, survey methodology, and community-based research. She founded Summit Survey Research to bring academic-level expertise to the public-serving organizations that shape our communities. Her work supports government agencies, nonprofits, healthcare systems, and educational institutions in measuring impact, advancing equity, and transforming complex data into clear, actionable insights.
Sara most recently served as Data and Evaluation Scientist for a major pediatric health system. Her experience with a variety of other agencies demonstrates her ability to use data to tell compelling stories and center inclusion in program evaluation planning, implementation, and reporting. In addition to her applied research work, Sara has taught statistics, research methods, and sociology of health at Western Washington University. Her expertise includes survey design, sampling strategy, qualitative and quantitative analysis, and outcomes reporting.
Kathi Ackerman Porter, MPH
Lead Community Health Researcher
Kathi is a public health researcher and project strategist with over a decade of experience in community-based participatory research, program evaluation, and strategic project management. As Lead Community Health Researcher, she directs health-focused research initiatives, including Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNAs), mixed method patient experience studies, and public health evaluation projects.
Kathi has a background in senior roles at RTI International and UNICEF USA, where she led national and international initiatives addressing maternal and child health, adolescent well-being, rare diseases, and stigma experienced by vulnerable populations. She has extensive experience with large-scale data collection and developing strategies to effectively engage with key stakeholders. Kathi is known for designing data frameworks that translate complex findings into actionable strategies, guiding both short-term goals and long-term operational improvements.
Elizabeth Mower, MA
Data Systems Strategist
Elizabeth is a data systems strategist and evaluation project lead with over a decade of experience supporting public and nonprofit agencies across California. She specializes in building practical data infrastructures that transform information into actionable insight, using platforms such as Google Sheets, Looker Studio, Tableau, Qualtrics, and Clear Impact Scorecard. At Summit Survey Research, Elizabeth leads complex evaluation and strategic planning initiatives that strengthen the capacity of health, education, and human service systems.
Her portfolio includes large-scale planning and evaluation projects such as Sacramento County’s AB2083 Children and Youth System of Care, the Child Safety Forward initiative, and the Strategies Statewide Technical Assistance evaluation. Among many other initiatives, she has also developed innovative tools for county CASA programs to measure outcomes for foster children. Elizabeth’s approach combines technical precision with a collaborative, capacity-building style that helps teams understand, use, and sustain data-driven decision-making.
In addition to our core leadership, Summit Survey Research draws on a trusted team of expert collaborators with decades of combined experience in public health, program evaluation, clinical research, federal grant compliance, and community engagement. This extended team includes Senior Research Analysts, Program Evaluation Specialists, Uniform Guidance Experts, and Public Health Strategists who support project planning, data analysis, and implementation across a wide range of sectors. Their areas of focus span healthcare systems, workforce development, behavioral health, education, and health equity, ensuring our clients benefit from both subject matter depth and interdisciplinary insight.
We also maintain long-standing partnerships with research universities, including the University of Central Florida and the University of North Florida. Through these relationships, we partner with advanced graduate-level research assistants who support data collection, synthesis, and reporting on high-capacity projects. This flexible team structure allows us to scale to meet the needs of clients nationwide, while maintaining the rigor and responsiveness that define our work.
Partner with Us Today
Ready to build stronger programs, secure funding, or guide critical decisions through expert research? Contact us to get started.